“Naomi: Avec Amour”

The most that I’ve done during my short time in the creative circle has primarily been my involvement in the areas of music and drama. I’ve had passing interests in photography, painting, animation, and even dancing. But fashion? I rarely ever considered it. I don’t even consider myself to be a fashionable type – I pretty much just go out in whatever I throw on. Even when I perform, I’ve realized that if a dress code isn’t provided, I’ll just turn up in whatever caught my eye as “comfortable” (given that the women in the house didn’t tell me to take it off first). So for the Kingston Creative Online Open Commission, and for my first time since honing the craft of blogging in the arts-therapy niche (musicandpain.com), I decided to look at what exactly a fashion designer does. Do they eat? Sleep? I had to know. I met Anita Alcott at The Edna Manley Visual and Performing Arts as a fashion design student in about 2013. She had a lovely personality, good looks, all those tings…but in retrospect, as I now type these words in 2020, I realize that I’ve never actually known what it’s like to do the work she does. She has always been designing; she’s always been working on something. She has been invited to present at a few fashion showcases (the Lust Yush annual fashion shows in 2018 and 2019, as well as the “Design Fusion” programme hosted by the Jamaica Business Development Corporation), and her design label “Naomi: Avec Amour” has considerable presence online and in fashion circles. I took a “scroll” by her LinkedIn page. The about section reads: “This is a fashion brand that was created through the inspiration of three powerful females on my life. Era’s such as the 30’s, 50’s and 60’s are where these designs are pulled from into the future as we say, fashion forward. Fashion for this brand is very important and personal as it was and still is named after my Aunt who passed away 7 years ago, and she is one of the inspirations for the brand as well. Her legacy lives on through my brand, Naomi: Avec Amour”. I asked her about how fashion inspires her. She says, “It’s both international and local. Why? Let me start with local first. Growing up, I have seen fashion legit play or change before my eyes where you know, say for instance, dancehall has its own look and so does reggae; and then internationally, hip hop has that little swag thing where you have dem baggy pants and dat kinda supm deh, throwbacks like a M.C. Hammer kinda thing. I basically pull inspiration from everywhere, or basically the changing that fashion does – that’s where I pull the inspiration from. But the thing is, I don’t allow it to change me as a designer – I make my impact in the fashion industry, so at the end of the day I don’t want people to say “Oh, she was inspired by M.C. Hammer because of the Harem pants”. No, mi nuh waan nuhbadi say that. I want people to say “Yow, what is your inspiration? Cuz I’d love to know how you came up with the designs,” yuh zimmi? That, that is what I love. And when I tell them the story of how the whole thing was created, and they go, “Oh”. 1. Who is one designer that inspires you (in any way) in fashion and why? “A fashion designer named Christian Siriano because of his story and how he became one of the top designers in an industry that shunned him for his designs, but he saw the need to make a difference in the world and have his voice be HEARD!”  2. What’s your designing process like? “My design process is tedious! It’s mainly about where and what inspires me. That inspiration then leads to designs and I mean a lot of designs. This then leads to fabrication (sourcing for fabrics), pattern making, drafts of the final pieces then a fitting then a second draft then a final product (told you, tedious *laughs*)” 3. I see on your IG that you’ve been featured on at least two fashion shows. How were you able to decide on what to showcase for them? “They worked with a theme and based on the theme of the show I find inspiration through that. I think it was at JBDCs’ (Design Fusion) where I found that out, when I did the Metamorphosis collection and they’re like, “Why “Metamorphosis?” I told them it was inspired by the butterfly and me transitioning into a better designer and a better version of myself based on what was happening to me last year. They stopped and looked at me and said, “This is the story that you should always tell through every single design”. I know this quarantine is gonna help to really transition that into every design despite the fact that I don’t have anybody to model for me (I do it myself sometimes). But, the industry changes and fashion is revolutionary and recycled, so I do try to go with the changes but I don’t let it change me too much.”  4. What is it like working with models? “It is exciting! I mean, to see that design on a body, fitted, flowing and moving, it’s beautiful.” 5. How does Jamaica represent itself through fashion? “I think us as Jamaicans, we have a distinct voice when it comes to fashion. We might be inspired by other countries but because of our diversity, we stand out.”  I asked Anita about her JBDC experience. “It’s mainly about helping entrepreneurs – beauty supplies, like makeup, facial soap, stuff like that – helping the entrepreneurs to get that jumpstart in how to manage your business. They taught us the financial aspect of the business, the marketing aspect, finding a niche, basically covering every single area for business itself. We also had to do a collection and explain the inspiration behind it (which is where my story about the metamorphosis of the butterfly comes into the picture). I took the colours black and white because the black of the cocoon turns to white, and white represents purity. The main thing I really took from the training apart from the business aspect, however, was to really get into the core foundation of what’s really inspiring me (in terms of fashion, or doing a collection) and see how I could start from scratch. The training lasted almost four months, with about 20 of us. It was a really good experience and I’d definitely do it again.”

6. Where do you see your brand in 5 years? “I see my brand making a change. I want to own ateliers around the world. I also would love to enter project runway to show others that no matter what you can make every dream a REALITY.” I asked her about her time at the Edna Manley College. “Fashion at Edna was not how I expected it to be. During one of my three rotations (jewelry, textiles and painting), I ended up doing textiles because the Visual Communication and Graphics classes were full. A very close friend and I then discovered upon registering that the textiles class broke into two parts, and the other option was fashion – so we chose it. We basically learnt more about fashion in Year 3. Since we were the “guinea pigs” for this program, I believe that what they should have done was to start from when we made our course selection. I mean, we did fashion illustration in Year 2, but like, we basically had limited fashion courses and too many theory courses – why would I need to know drawing when I’m doing fashion illustration? I don’t think they had thought about it the way that they should have, which is to say, streamline specific fashion courses only/mostly for the fashion students. ” She continued, “But overall it was good, and I learned a lot from one particular lecturer. It seems the fashion department have been closed since, but what I would have changed was the approach to fashion. Give us things that have to do with fashion, the theory of fashion, the history of fashion, fashion illustration….and not merge it with Ethics or Business of Art. Give us the Business of Fashion! Things that have to do with the fashion industry because mi nah go lie, a the “Design Fusion” programme a’ JBDC really help me understand business in general, as well as the core foundation of business when it comes to fashion. It’s completely different from everybody else own out there! 7. Do you have other creative outlet besides fashion? “Yes! I’m a blogger (under construction) and currently working on my 1st book. The book is basically a testimony of everything that I’ve been through. It’s like an autobiography/memoir/testimonial. It’s mainly about my experiences – heartbreak, my faith in Christianity, all of the works.”  8. What are some of the challenges you face? The main challenge I face is fabric shortage especially if it is shipped from overseas.  Confused, I asked, “When it comes to local fabric, is it that it isn’t good enough? Or is it that we don’t produce enough of what is desired to meet the demands of local designers?” Her response was, surprisingly, that we rarely (if ever) produce material at all. “Ping’s Fabrics (a well-known local supplier) gets theirs from China. Pablo’s Fabric Store (another local fabric brand) gets theirs from L.P. Azar who has their own fabric company.” She continued, “The fabric quality could be better honestly but it’s all we have right now. There are ways to get fabric from overseas as there are fabric stores with real quality fabrics we can order from. The issue is the time it takes to get HERE.” 9. How do you think the onset of this current pandemic is affecting the world of fashion? “Though there’s a pandemic, the industry is seen helping out the best way that we can. Yes there is a pause on current shows for fashion week, but I’ve seen designers both local and international help with making masks and donating and selling them and that’s remarkable.” On this note, I had to stop her. “Regarding these masks,” I said with some skepticism, “how did you decide to get involved in production?” I wanted to get into how her brand of masks compared to the rest I had seen advertised online. In my novice opinion, masks made without the N95 filtration material could not be necessarily trusted for one’s health. Anita had this to say: “It is really based on a need for the masks in my community, or orders placed by other customers. I only use cotton-based material, and I double it. I see other designers using fabrics that aren’t breathable and it’s disappointing to be honest because they’re looking at the profit and fashion – but not safety. I know how sensitive the skin is so I use ribbons instead of elastic.” I remembered that she had previously mentioned Christian Siriano as an inspiration and asked if there was anyone that she looked up to in the local fashion scene. “YEEEEEEEEES! Ayanna Dixon!!! Her journey through fashion is amazing and inspiring. She worked in New York with Donna Karan, a top designer, then she came back here and with the help of JBDC she took off.” 10. What would you do if you were the Prime Minister for a month? ”I’ve always loved helping people and I think that would be my core focus in that position.”  Intrigued, I pressed a bit further to find out what her thoughts were about government involvement in the small creative business sector. “At first, I thought the government could do a lot more for entrepreneurs with small, medium or large enterprises. But, I realize that JBDC is the reason why the government starts paying attention to entrepreneurs. One Member of Parliament is Floyd Green. That man embodies the core of support when it comes to business. He wants to know about it. When we were having the “Design Fusion” graduation ceremony, he came and spoke about being different and wanting to stand out. As a designer, you don’t want to go on the road and people say, “Oh, I’ve seen that style before because I know someone who does it like this”. I strive for individuality when it comes to my brand, my designs, everything. This isolation is kind of difficult in sense, because it’s so, so hard for people to find their creative juices flowing without going out and being inspired. I have a bit of an anxiety problem if I’m isolated for too long, so I try to do something to prevent it from triggering. The government is doing better now than they were before, as they used to focus more on importing from and highlighting designers overseas when so many creative designers are already here. It’s not even funny – we are just here, in every parish, in every region – we are just here. Trust me, JBDC is doing all that they can (sometimes I believe they do too much, lol). Coming out of that programme, my views began to change. I started getting my business bags and tags after someone advised that regular bags just wouldn’t do, and now I even have a sales book and my branding and logo in order. Helping other small businesses will help them to support me. They can refer me as a designer, and I can reciprocate by referring them. In closing our interview, she sang praises once again regarding the “Design Fusion” programme. ”The best part about the JBDC initiative is that I can always go back for business consultation, and the incubator is always available for use once you get your time schedule cleared, so you can sew all day if you need to! They’re very accessible on social media, and they are literally there for you.” Naomi: Avec Amour can be contacted on Instagram: @naomi_avec_amour

Contact:
Khadijah Chang
Kingston Creative
Tel: (876) 851-3272
Email: [email protected]

RAE TOWN KICKS OFF JSIF EU COMMUNITY ARTWALKS FOR DOWNTOWN KINGSTON

Monday, January 27, 2020
Kingston, Jamaica

Women Empowering Women, a Community based organisation from Rae Town led by Colleen Campbell, recently partnered with Kingston Creative to host the Rae Town Artwalk on Saturday January 25th. This was the first event in a series of five cultural events that will take place in Rae Town, Tivoli Gardens, Beat Street, Allman Town and Trench Town this year.
Rae Town is a historic Downtown Kingston neighbourhood comprising a fishing village, boasting a spectacular view of the Kingston Harbour and world-renowned for its sound system dance. The cultural tour focused on Rae Street and included the General Penitentiary, the Cholera Cemetery, St Michael’s Primary School, the Salvation Army and Capricorn Inn, the home of the Rae Town Oldies Dance.
Patrons came from across Kingston, some driving into Rae Town and others taking the shuttle from Spanish Court Hotel to enjoy the performances and take the tours, which were guided by ten youth from the Elliston Road Police Youth Club. Some of the local talent on display included the St Michaels Primary dance troupe, the Paradise Street Early Childhood Institution dancers, the Southern Strikers Marching Band, Teshae Silvera, Jahnice Solomon, dancehall artist Kibauney and dancer Kimani David from the Young Blazers. Senor Daley from Classique Disco spun oldies hits all day and had the crowd dancing happily along.
Kingston Creative, Sherwin Williams and the Tourism Enhancement Fund also collaborated to create two murals on the Rae Town playing field as a part of the cultural activities. The community wanted the story of Rae Town to be told on the murals; the south-facing side depicting the fishing village, community life food and culture, and the northern side depicting the Rae Town Dance culture.
Two stunning murals were created by artists Deon Simone (“Rae Town Dance” and Shanique Stewart (“Rae Town Fishing Village”). The painting was a fun and inclusive community affair, with artists like Kimeka Rainford, Omar Valentine, Omar Bolton, Dwayne Brooks, Marvin Thomas, Alison West Martin and Jeana Lindo pitching in to lend a hand.
“The event is genius! I honestly think it is a great event and the talent highlighting the culture of Rae Town is amazing and I love how it brings the community together.” said Kehlesia Thompson from the Grace and Staff/ Grace Kennedy Foundation, who sponsored gift baskets, prizes and meals for the performing groups.

Shani Johnson, one of the performers commented, “It was a good event, especially when on the tour the community and the visitors interacted. One of my favourite moments was when a community member was transporting furniture and a visitor went and helped him. The tours were educational and informative and I would recommend it again.”

“The tour was very informative and since it’s my first time being in Rae Town, it was good to learn about the history and it is also good to have it in the community. I would love to come to more events like this.” said Sue Tanya McHorgh, a visitor to the community.

June Francis from the Capricorn Inn on Rae Street stated, “I really enjoyed it. This is my second time partnering with Kingston Creative and it was better than the last one. The experience was good.”

Picture this: vibrant art displays, pulsating music, stylish fashion shows, and a community coming together in the heart of downtown Kingston for an exciting summer celebration. That’s the agenda for local non-government organisation Kingston Creative, in partnership with Red Stripe Flavours, Saint International and Main Event, as they gear up to present the most fashionable event of the season – this month’s ArtWalk Festival, the ‘Fashion Ova Style’ edition on Sunday, July 30.

The monthly festival functions as a grand stage for local creatives to showcase their skills and this month promises to be no different as it strives to provide attendees with an unforgettable fashion-forward experience.  It will feature the famed Saint International ‘Faces of Summer’ Model Search, which will give young hopefuls from downtown Kingston communities the opportunity to vie for an international modelling contract.

Deiwght Peters, owner of the local modelling agency that will host the competition, said, “[Our] long-standing view is that downtown Kingston is the hotbed of cultural and creative brilliance and must be deliberately and strategically positioned as such… many Saint models are from the downtown and surrounding areas, so our connection with the area is authentic.”

Fashion enthusiasts will also be treated to a kaleidoscope of styles that reflect the unique spirit of Jamaica’s fashion scene with chic, trendy and contemporary designs from The Bridge, Mamayashi, Shades of Africa, Leoness, Tribe 9 Studios and Neahlis.

 

Dynamic Runway

Speaking on the conceptualisation of this major staging, Kingston Creative Co-founder Andrea Dempster-Chung, detailed that Water Lane and Church Street will be transformed into a dynamic runway.  She said: “We wanted to create an ArtWalk Festival like no other, an event that would not only showcase the incredible artistic talent of our city but also focus on the essence of Jamaican style and fashion.” 

While fashion takes the spotlight, the entertainment lineup will ensure attendees are in for a day filled with art, music, and dance.  Recording artist Sevana will grace the stage and captivate audiences with her soulful vocals, and dance performances from Nick Overload and Racquel Caution will also be featured. The beats of JWritten, DJ Fenix,  Merritone Disco and 8 Mile Sound wafting through the downtown streets will also power the event’s energetic and thrilling vibe.

However, that’s not all – embracing the spirit of togetherness, the festival offers exciting activities for everyone, including a Domino Tournament and Ludi games at the Ambassadors bar that promises to provide hours of enjoyment and camaraderie.  For the artistically inclined, the free ‘Paint and Sip’ session, led by famed muralist Dan Thompson, will offer a chance for patrons to unleash their inner artist.

 Street Art, Gentrification & Downtown Kingston

An interview with Lisandria Thomspson from NLS, New Local Space Limited.

NLS Interview

Firstly, huge thanks to the NLS team for including us in the research and in the podcast. We always appreciate the opportunity to get the word out, to tell the story of what we are doing …and more importantly, why we are doing it. The Downtown question allows for a discussion of Downtown’s past, present and future place in the narrative of Jamaica’s creative achievements and we hope that these responses can shed some light on what Kingston Creative hopes to achieve.

1. Your website describes Kingston as the creative capital of the Caribbean. What inspired this belief? 

That is an early version of our vision statement, which reflected our desire to position Kingston as a creative hub delivering support, inspiration and tangible benefits not just to the rest of Jamaica, but across the region to the wider community of Caribbean creatives. While it was a very inspiring statement – I mean, we all love to say “Jamaica to di werl’!” and sometimes we even try to claim Rihanna – we realised that this wording can be exclusionary and could reinforce some of the competitive history that obtains in the region and which frankly has not served us well as small island developing states who need to collaborate in order to survive.

In our January 2020 planning session we subsequently changed the vision statement to read: Kingston is a Creative City. We stand behind this vision and want to see Kingston leverage its creative heritage and its world-class talent. We want to see Kingston reach its potential to become a Creative City, not just in name or by UNESCO designation, but as a social and economic reality for all who live in Kingston. We envision a thriving Art District, a Creative Hub that develops creative people and a healthy creative ecosystem in Jamaica; that really will be a game-changer. It is a big vision, but certainly a vision worth working towards.

2.  Why is it important for your organization to specifically focus on Downtown Kingston as the epicentre of your creative and cultural endeavours?

It is important to focus on Downtown Kingston as it is not only the nation’s capital but also the heart of its creative and cultural production. Kingston’s historic “old town” possesses a rich heritage in terms of architecture, cultural sites, museums, galleries and a waterfront that borders the 7th largest natural harbour in the world. Downtown Kingston has historically been the hub of Jamaican culture, particularly in the fields of music, dance and the visual arts. As well as being the home of Bob Marley, Dennis Brown and other world-famous musicians, it was also a site for traditional craft-making and vending, exemplified by the Victoria Craft Market and in place names such as Potter’s Row. More recently, it is defined the birthplace of Dancehall, a global cultural phenomenon, an earlier the birthplace of Reggae, with Orange Street (aka Beat Street) being the site of some of Jamaica’s most influential music studios owned by icons like Lee “Scratch” Perry. Downtown was also the home of Jamaica’s first visual artists on record – Isaac Mendez Belisario and the photographer Adolphe Duperly in the 19th century and home to several well-known visual artists, such as in the mid-20th century, John Dunkley and David Pottinger, as well as several highly accomplished self-taught street artists.
Many of our well known cultural institutions are based in Downtown, such as the Ward Theatre, the Institute of Jamaica, the Jamaica National Heritage Trust, the National Gallery of Jamaica, the Jamaica Music Museum, Liberty Hall, the Bank of Jamaica Money Museum and the Kingston Craft Market, as well as private, community-based cultural organizations such as Studio 174 and Life Yard on Fleet Street. There is also public art, such as the statues at the St William Grant Park, and a significant architectural heritage, which includes the Holy Trinity Cathedral and its magnificent, recently restored murals and stained-glass windows. It was also the first site of what is now the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts – the Jamaica School of Art was originally located on North Street and in Kingston Gardens.
Given its rich history and diverse cultural assets, Downtown Kingston is well-placed to define its own version of an Art District, in a way that will benefit local residents, creatives and cultural entrepreneurs, while serving as a powerful social transformation strategy that serves to reinforce the brand of Kingston as a Creative City, and of Jamaica as a whole.

3. What does Kingston Creative hope to achieve with the ongoing mural project?

The mural project, ‘Paint the City’, is one of several projects that we are implementing in order to transform Downtown. Our projects fall into two categories – either “Art District” projects that focus on “placemaking” and developing the physical space (Murals, Urban art parks, Artwalk events and festivals) or “Creative Hub” projects that focus on developing people (training, accelerators, networking, coworking spaces, online platforms, capital and business clusters). All the projects work together to empower creatives and transform Downtown Kingston using art, culture and technology.
The innovation in this mural project is around the use of augmented and virtual reality, which we intend to create an immersive experience for the in-person and virtual visitor. 59 murals have been developed to date, by Kingston Creative employing local and community-based artists. Water Lane is being developed as the focal point of the street art experience and the murals along this lane will feature augmented reality technology and will have a corresponding walking tour and a virtual tour. The lane is walkable and connects the Museums on East Street with the National Gallery on Orange Street. In the lane, there are several community businesses, restaurants and bars who benefit from the increased traffic and business as the area develops.
The murals are to be included the National Library of Jamaica Digital Collection, as a publicly accessible site. The National Library of Jamaica’s (NLJ) holdings constitute the most comprehensive collection of Jamaican documentary offering an invaluable representation of Jamaica’s history and heritage. To enhance access to its rich and varied collections, the National NLJ has digitized thousands of historical photographs, prints, drawings, and now will be including the Street Art Murals in Downtown Kingston, which is fantastic.

4. How are artists selected to contribute to the mural project?

Kingston Creative uses an open call or limited call to find participants for its projects. Generally, a flyer is created and the opportunity is advertised on social media and also sent out via Whatsapp to a list of artists that include a listing of artists from Downtown gathered through community engagement. When artists respond to the call, they are shortlisted and selected.

There is a panel that selects the artist – or shortlists the artists if the work is commissioned for a third party. The last selection panel comprised Phillip Thomas, O’Neil Lawrence and Camille Chedda, noted creatives, educators and arts administrators in their own right. The limited call is used when a client has a project in Downtown and wants something very specific – for example an underwater ocean scene – and we know that just a few artists specialise in that type of work. We would approach those artists and ask if they are interested in proposing a design. We also have a target of 25% community involvement, meaning that the teams that develop murals should include artists from the community.
5. How does Kingston Creative approach developing public art projects?
Paint the City is a public-private-third sector partnership led by Kingston Creative and funded by TEF, Sherwin Williams, the KSAMC and other nongovernmental organizations. It builds on the legacy of Downtown murals created on shops, walls and street corners around town. Often these murals memorialise famous personalities and cultural icons, sometimes they promote positive messages that the community wants to reinforce. We do two types of murals – those in the Central Business District and then murals in communities such as Rae Town, Trench Town and Tivoli Gardens. All the murals and digital content reflect on local contexts and the city’s rich cultural history but there are nuances in how both types are developed.
Community murals are created through a process of community engagement, in which citizens, entrepreneurs and artists co-create and take co-ownership in the works. They choose the theme, they select the designs, working through the Community Development Committee or another Community Based Organisation. This builds long-lasting and reciprocal social engagement. For murals in the Business District, it is slightly different. The private sector contributes the wall space, Government and Private Sector provide the funding, and through the partnership with Sherwin Williams that provides discounted paint, other building owners are also encouraged to paint their buildings – even if they are derelict – in complementary colours and to protect the heritage overlay (architectural exterior) if and when they choose to upgrade their premises. This all contributes to preserving the architectural and heritage value of the Art District in the long term.
The phenomenon of painting murals is not new to Downtown. Recently there was a series of murals at 41 Fleet Street in Parade Gardens developed by a group called Paint Jamaica, led by local artists including Matthew McCarthy, Dan Thompson, Taj Francis, Djet Layne and Kokab Zohoori-Dossa and founded by Marianna Farage. These murals were developed in partnership with Life Yard, a social enterprise in the area, and was a successful model of using art to achieve social transformation in Downtown Kingston.
The new murals have become a catalyst, a destination, a backdrop for the work of other creatives like photographers, fashion designers, musicians, and filmmakers. Most recently, reggae legend, Papa Michigan, who performed at the Artwalk in February 2020 returned to Water Lane to shoot his 2020 Festival song video in front of the murals. American pop star Jason De Rulo, and Protoje’s new video were also filmed in Water Lane, along with a slew of different dancehall videos. The murals have become a new location for content creation in Kingston, that both celebrates Downtown and supports the work of local visual artists and creatives, much like its predecessor at Fleet Street.
Additionally, visitors to the Kingston Creative website are now able to virtually experience the murals from their homes and this virtual reality experience is something we plan to develop on, not just as a COVID-19 strategy, but as a way of reaching more people in the Diaspora with an immersive experience and a fresh look at how the city is changing. At the end of the mural project, murals in Downtown will have Virtual Reality Tours and Augmented Reality experiences, much like the ones on the section of Water Lane between Church Street and Temple Lane.

6. In what ways do you think Kingston Creative has contributed to the Jamaican public’s outlook on Downtown Kingston as a local travel destination? 

Over the past two years Kingston Creative has held over 50 events held in Downtown Kingston, from Artwalks to Meetups to Historical tours of locations like the Chinese Buddhist temple, the Railway Station and Holy Trinity Cathedral. These events have been captured by photographers from the Jamaica Photography Society and a number of writers, bloggers and vloggers who understood early on the value of documentation. We have seen the attendance grow, showing a return of confidence and a reduction of stigma for those that attend. We hope that we have contributed in some way, but it should be noted that people have always been coming into Downtown.

The majority of our museums are located Downtown and these institutions under the Institute of Jamaica have always held public events. The NGJ is located in Downtown and they in particular have forged a path with its Last Sundays series. Rae Town, Passa Passa and other dance events have drawn large audiences to Downtown. The Mayor of Kingston started an inspirational campaign a few years ago with the hashtag #Still Believing and has been implementing the redevelopment of the Ward Theatre, an iconic cultural space. Pop up events have been held over the years by entities like Earl Chinna Smith’s Binghistra Inna Di Yard movement, various music concerts in Trench Town and on the Waterfront.

The Jamaica Food and Drink Festival held its launch event in Downtown and has staged some of its signature culinary events in Downtown. Kingston on the Edge, an underground arts Festival has also hosted events in Downtown Kingston; Xamayca Carnival has held soca fetes with thousands of guests in Downtown and Brand New Machine has held parties in Downtown in partnership with F&B Downtown. Finally, Victoria Pier’s opening on the waterfront with ice-cream parlours, restaurants and a dance club has also had a major impact on bringing night life back to Downtown.

What is important is the coalescing of all these efforts into a new vision of a transformed Downtown. For our part, our vision includes green spaces, walkability, and an Art District that is safe, balanced and inclusive, one that has protections for heritage and for people, one that is developed to enhance the experience for the local visitor – not made for an external audience. Creating authentic experiences, building on the real history of Downtown life and protecting our tangible and intangible heritage is critical if we want to succeed.

7. How would you respond to concerns by some members of the public that your organisation is spearheading a gentrification movement Downtown? 

If people are concerned about gentrification, we would thank them, as their vocal opposition is essential to preventing gentrification from happening. We are aware that there are several different plans afoot to develop Downtown – as there always have been. Some would be good in our opinion and others that we have heard of would be a disaster.

Kingston Creative wants to achieve slow, balanced, inclusive development of Downtown Kingston that is centred around arts, culture and the people that create the culture. We want Downtown Kingston to improve, to become safer, to upgrade the crumbling infrastructure and make it a more liveable city, but for it to be sustainable, it must be developed in a way that benefits the existing communities and respects the architecture, heritage and culturally significant spaces.

Gentrification is defined as the process whereby the character of a poor, urban area is changed by wealthier people moving in, replacing existing housing, and attracting new businesses, displacing current inhabitants in the process. It is a real concern for us, firstly because we have found it is not widely understood by some, and secondly because we ourselves are not an authority or governing agency with the power to prevent it.

We have to educate and use persuasion – appealing to the stakeholders’ enlightened self-interest. Our position to building owners is that if the area were to become gentrified, with the knocking down of historic buildings and putting up of new high-rise housing blocks, it would irreparably damage the cultural value of the area, and destroy what we are trying to create.

Frankly this issue should be a concern for all stakeholders in this process as it would only take the actions of a few to ruin it for all. Community empowerment is the only way that we can resist gentrification, so it is good that there are members of the public that are concerned about it. We want more vocal critics, as voices united against gentrification is the only way in which we can ensure that this urban renewal can be inclusive, equitable, sustainable, and ultimately beneficial to all.

Gentrification is also defined by Oxford as “the process of making someone or something more refined, polite, or respectable”. To understand the politics behind gentrification and why it is not what we want for our city, we have to look at the social history of Kingston, coming from colonialism to present day. Kingston started as a slave trading port and then evolved into what can be described as a battle for actual and symbolic space, between different social groups with very uneven economic and power resources – between the poor, the affluent, and the many degrees in-between, all of whom have a stake in the area. Any discussion about gentrification, culture, and development in Downtown Kingston must be cognisant of this history and context.

The battle for space that has shaped the development of Kingston has deep historical roots, going back to the Slavery and Emancipation eras, but reached a boiling point in the mid-20th century, in the period leading up to and following after Independence in 1962. Downtown was home to wealthy families that did business on the port. Rural-to-urban migration and accelerated population growth resulted in the rapid expansion of the poor and lower income inner-city population, particularly in the western belt of the city, as well as the expansion of the urbanized areas into the previously suburban and semi-rural areas of St Andrew.
Sprawling informal settlements with little or no modern infrastructure appeared, and social tensions, violence, and crime became more prevalent. As we have heard from ‘old-timers’ that lived through this, the social geography of Downtown Kingston changed dramatically as a result, with the more affluent residents moving to the hills, to the upper regions of St Andrew, even though this affluent class retained ownership of major real estate and business interests in the old city centre. Downtown was all but abandoned, and New Kingston, several miles to the north, was developed as the business centre.
We do not want to revert to a segregated exclusive space, or make Downtown into a new playground for the wealthy. We want to use art improve it, bring visitors and commerce in for tours, for music, for night life, and thereby create economic opportunities, a new sense of identity, peace and social transformation that benefits everyone, especially the existing residents who are a highly creative population.

8. Does Kingston Creative believe that its work could increase the property value of Downtown Kingston over the long term?

We are focused on creating a space for creatives, where they can have opportunities for retail, for collaboration, for training, for exhibition. It is of course a well-established fact that if an area is made safer and more attractive, that property values will rise. It is likely that buildings empty for half a century will be able to be rented and some renovated, but it is possible to improve without displacing or destroying. We are advocating for development that pays respect to the historical preservation and inclusion that is needed to maintain the integrity of an Art District.
 
9. Does Kingston Creative feel a responsibility to ensure all long-standing marginalised communities Downtown are not priced out or displaced from living there, but reap equitable benefits from the Kingston Creative project? 

Yes, we do feel a responsibility to these communities that surround the business district as they each have a unique story and cultural value, from the sound system dance in Rae Town, to Culture Yard in Trench Town to the community of Potters in Rose Town. In our tours, Artwalks and other developmental activities, we highlight the history and cultural value of these communities and hope that everyone will recognise the importance of protecting, preserving and not displacing the people in these communities.
It is important to note that Kingston Creative is not the only or even the main factor in the equation. It is also well known that Downtown Kingston is already undergoing a redevelopment campaign, with the development activities and plans for the Kingston Waterfront, new office complexes going up and the Master Plan for the Heroes Circle area. The current urban renewal campaign arguably started in the early 2010’s with the construction of the Digicel headquarters on the Waterfront, and has been followed by the construction of new Grace Kennedy headquarters and a new building for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as the renovation of the old Oceana Hotel and the development of an entertainment complex on Victoria Pier.
There are also plans for new luxury condos and retail and recreational areas on the western part of the Waterfront. There are also other smaller-scale developments in the Downtown area that do not involve new construction and introduce new business interests to the area, such as the recent profusion of wholesale businesses on the Orange Street corridor, most of which are owned and operated by recent Chinese migrants.
The plans for Heroes Circle include the planned construction of a new Parliament building complex in National Heroes Park, a suite of government buildings to the south of the park, and the general renovation and modernization of the adjoining Allman Town community. These plans have become somewhat controversial mainly because it involves the planned appropriation and demolition of dwellings and the relocation of residents, allegedly to new structures that they may not be able to afford or to live in sustainably. There had been little or no prior consultation with the affected residents.
Major gentrification issues have thus already appeared in Downtown Kingston, in association with these new urban developments and plans. It is hoped that by designating the central part of the business district as the Art District that we can protect people and place. By demonstrating that this area and the culture is of value, the heritage overlay of these buildings can be protected and hopefully this area will not be destroyed with a wholesale redevelopment. Local businesses, bars and cultural spaces should be mapped and preserved in the process and the surrounding communities developed in a balanced, inclusive way, protecting the essence of cultural life in Downtown Kingston and in the process, preserving our priceless cultural heritage.

Tangible Culture

Oh, island in the sun Willed to me by my father’s hand All my days I will sing in praise Of your forest, waters Your shining sand Island in the Sun By Harry Belafonte

From the album Calypso

What do we know about Jamaica? What is at the heart of the island? Who are we as a people? What is in our souls that motivates us…that moves us? What are the stories that make up our history as we go about our day to day? What warms our hearts and remains with us even to this day, making us who we are? This is the fabric that makes up our heritage…our Culture. Undoubtedly, our heritage has influenced pop culture in one way or another, yet we can never seem to consistently capture for ourselves what so many visitors to our island home are able to do; create opportunity from the essence of our country and turn it into something tangible and profitable for themselves. After all, we are at a distinct advantage being born and raised in good old J.A., with the best vantage point to do just this, right? Jamaica is visually stunning. She is one of the most beautiful places in the World, inspiration right around every corner and within each person. Cultural heritage is intangible, a source of diversity and a driver of sustainable development. It is the basis for many creations, ideas and concepts and is often characterized by things spoken about and passed on verbally, through folk songs, performing arts, local knowledge and traditional skills, which unfortunately, is not valued as it should be, despite its influence on local and international culture.

Tangible cultural heritage refers to things that we can store or physically touch. These might include traditional clothing, tools, buildings, artwork, monuments, modes of transportation and even pottery. Transitioning from the intangible to a physical creation that has significance and is recognized for its relevance culturally, is the space I often find myself in. It is a deep-seated yearning to be able to transform pockets of Jamaican culture into products that also have a positive impact on someone’s mood, by being able to bring them joy. I find myself wanting to make something that lasts beyond my time, that can be passed down for generations; as Modern Jamaican Heirlooms. It is part of my mission to create physical or tangible products of human creativity that are endowed with cultural significance for our society and can be appreciated across the World. My personal experience as a Jamaican, is authentically my perception of the island, the things that have influenced me and what I LOVE about our culture, muddled in with some international influences and styles I like, creating an aesthetic that I feel is a modern interpretation of Jamaican heritage. Growing up in rural Jamaica, was different from the fast-paced, vibrant, lively, enthralling, built environment of Kingston, the concrete jungle. The stories of nightlife, entertainment, shopping, dining, performing arts and so much more, easily makes it the cultural epicenter of the island, in fact the majority of my customer base is in Kingston. It is so different from the lush, tropical, untouched side of the island. In ‘country’, things move a little slower, life ‘feels’ different in a sleepy fishing village, a farm district or a resort town. Life is certainly what you make it, and you have to work harder or be a bit more resourceful if you want to lead a life worth living. I am blessed be have been able to experience both sides. Once you experience the various sides of Jamaica, it is hard to see it as anything but Paradise, good for the soul. In Savanna-la-mar; an old factory town located in western Jamaica, known mainly for sugar production, it wasn’t easy for my parents to find extra-curricular activities for their three children. However, a few things I remember that have stuck with me, are their deep love for the beauty of the island and the people, a love for music and dancing, a strong sense of family, loyalty and love, and of course a love for food! My mother was always introducing us to her favourite songs by listening, singing and dancing to them loudly on long drives; because one thing you know about Jamaican country life…everyting far! We were used to driving a minimum of thirty minutes to an hour to get anywhere, it was just the fact of life that we hated, but the music always made it better! Thanks John Holt, A Thousand Bolts of Holt was the soundtrack to many road trips! My father was always pointing out random bits of knowledge and sharing facts about some animal and/or wildlife, family story or something he read, keeping our minds and imaginations active. Often times these trips were to spend time with family and we always stopped to get street side food from the vendors along the way. Fruits, fried fish, bammy, jerk pork, porridge, soup, roast corn and my personal favourite, even to this day; roast yellow yam and saltfish! I still stop by in Manchester whenever I have to drive into Kingston, I can’t help myself! Jamaican culinary culture is built on fond memories of family, friends and special times in our lives. There is just something about a well-cooked Jamaican meal that touches your SOUL! Am I right? Don’t get me wrong I love all kinds of food. Exploring and trying food from other countries makes this girl happy! I am especially drawn to food experienced as a family or with a group of friends. Nothing fancy…just good food and good people. The kind of gatherings that puts a smile on your face, warms your heart and fills your belly! I know you understand what I am saying! If you are a creative like me, these experiences might run a little deeper. You tend to get lost in the interactions, the finer details and things that might be totally unrelated but have been sparked by the interaction with your loved ones or the memory of them. It is usually in these conversations that I get a spark and a concept might come to mind, or a seed might be planted that inspires an idea later on. Most of us are filled with stories and have different experiences that shape our perception and life as a Jamaican. One such experience, which at the time caused me much grief, was that I had to clean the china [tableware] and silverware from the breakfront and what-not. You know, the plates we hardly ever used but you had to clean them so they didn’t ‘dry-rot’ and yes, that can happen to plates. As the only girl I had to set the table, some days I hated it…other days I loved to express my creativity in mixing and matching and pairing plates, glasses, flatware, flowers, and all the fandangles of place settings, creating what we now call tablescapes. Obviously, I took FOREVER to set the table as my mind often drifted in between cleaning plates and polishing knives and looking at the intricate details of a design. Wondering how it was made, fascinated by the shapes, colours, textures and beauty of them all. Inevitably, I developed an appreciation for functional ceramics, which shows up in my work today. What can I say? My experiences have made me LOVE food and not just any food, a distinct predisposition towards Jamaican food. Culinary culture is developed over time and the moments we share around our local dishes. There is so much historical context to the food we enjoy, the tools used to prepare, serve and eat them. Take bammy [our version of flat bread, made from cassava] for example, I have no idea how it is made, but I would eat it every day if I could. I do know that it originated with the Taino people, as did the process of smoking meat in pits which developed into what is now famously Jamaican Jerk. Can you believe this has been passed down for generations and still enjoyed today? I love to see a Chinese or Japanese table. Oh, how adorable are those little teapots for one cup of tea, or a little tiny cup and flask for sake, or how about those chopstick holders? Every piece of tableware is designed for use and has a purpose.  As my design school professor used to drill in our heads make it functional [with sustainability and the environment in mind] but make it pretty fabulous! I admire this about other cultures. It is so fascinating to see how each piece of tableware is designed for a specific purpose within the dining experience. As if the architects of Japanese cuisine, broke down every single bite of every single meal and said, ‘having this or that, will make the experience so much better!’ As if each bowl was made with the type of food in mind, and how it would be consumed and the company that might be involved, a true designed approach to everyday living. Something that we oftentimes take for granted that ‘someone’ actually took the time to design for the purpose of making our lives easier or just more pleasant. Just think about it, the fork we use every day took several attempts to become the version we use today that we deem as most functional for the type of food we eat the most for the widest cross-section of the population. And even then, there is still opportunity in the redesign for those who find it uncomfortable to use, or just in designing one that has a different look that will appeal to another audience or another type of cuisine. And this is why I love what I do, I get to use the best practices and the history of making ceramics and other functional products, making improvements to it for the sake of not only making it beautiful but to enhance an experience or bring joy to the user. As the creator I think about how it is going to be used, who will be using it, I envision them making the meal, and how it will look and how their company will enjoy what they have lovingly prepared for them [or catered I won’t judge]. For me, there is no separating something functional from something visually appealing it goes hand in hand. As a designer, I look forward to picking apart the meals that makes up our culinary culture and weaving the pieces I make into the fabric of our lives … our story … our heritage. I get so fired up being able to envision and create a design that fulfills this mission to celebrate our culinary heritage and create pieces that enhances it for all people who enjoy Jamaican cuisine; or any type of food, for that matter. This summer BAUGHaus Design Studio will embark on a journey that explores our culinary culture, creating tangible heritage pieces that celebrates and is specific to our most beloved meals; diving deeper and expanding our Heritage Collection, to create pieces that you can actually cook with or, are specific to Jamaican Culinary Culture. I invite you to follow us on Instagram or visit our website and sign up for our newsletter to see how I approach the design and creation of the pieces. Each piece will most likely have a different creative process and I will be sharing a few videos as the concepts are brought to life. I hope you will join me.

I strongly believe that as Jamaicans, who better to take this step than someone who lives it? Who better to make it authentic, original and unique than you and me? It is our birthright. I like to make pretty things, I say it all the time. It is a part of my messaging for my brand BAUGHaus Design Studio. So, I encourage and hope that more local creatives also endeavor to make culturally tangible pieces that are not only visually stunning but also functional and totally innovative! Until next time…Take Care in the time of Corona! Bio: Dana Baugh is the Fonder and Creative Lead at BAUGHaus Design Studio, located in Savanna-la-mar, Westmoreland, Jamaica. BAUGHaus Design Studio proudly designs and makes fine authentic handmade products for the home, infused with Jamaican ‘roots and culture’. Their main products include exquisite porcelain tableware, lighting, furniture and soft goods for the home that marries form and function to create pieces that are modern, tropical and warm at the same time. They love making pretty things and hope you love them as much as they love making them! It is their mission to spread joy through their products that inspires people to ‘live the life you love, and to love the life you live’.

I was born on a Sunday afternoon around 4pm on February the 17^th, 1985. And it wasn’t long after that, that my first steps would be symbolic of many first steps that would lead to my career as an artist. I was encouraged to walk by reaching for a pencil that my aunt was holding. At one year old, I believe I was motivated to walk from the desire of wanting to draw. So, as one might assume, I started drawing as a child, as most children do. Art class at the primary level was always one of my stronger subjects, as, I loved experimenting with different colours. As an artist today, however my main focus is portraiture. As a creative today, I am an artist and a writer and have an appreciation for all things creative. I became fascinated with portraiture as a teen when portrait drawing was introduced as part of the CXC visual art syllabus. The above portrait was done in High school. One of the greatest things that I love about portraiture is that you can capture the mood that the person is feeling. It’s a portrait of my cousin. Photography is in itself an art form too but I think it’s the job of the artist to really pull out certain emotions in a piece. This piece was a social commentary, I believe it was one of the pieces that went up for the ‘A’ Level examination. Each figure from this painting is actually a story out of the newspaper at that time. I can’t remember what all three stories were about but I do know that the child in the middle being held by her mother was crying because her father had just been gunned down. So, the barren tree in the background represents life being sucked out of these women and children with all the bad news. And there is so much bloodshed on the land that it is being represented by drops of red on the tree. While in High School, a year or two later after CXC, I would have started a portrait business called Perfect Portraits. My first commissioned work was a painting of an employee of Wolmer’s Girls as a gift for the then principal, Mrs. Pamela Harrison. We will later look at my work as a fairly established portrait artist. But in looking at my career as a Jamaican creative, I’d like to talk a bit about how I got the appreciation for writing. In prep school, my favourite subject was art and in high school however, I found a new love for another subject, English. This was so because I found that with words anything can come to life. And colour and possibilities were endless, all with words. I believe the best way to combat stress is to be creative, and that does not mean being creative in the formal sense, like a Van Gogh, but when we have productive conversation, that is just as good. Everything starts with words, God said “let there be light” and there it was – Light. So when I said you don’t have to be a specified creative like Van Gogh to be considered a creative, my point is, creation is everywhere, in the very words that we speak. So interestingly enough, I wrote stories fairly well in high school, and got decent grades for them too. But it was not before my late 20’s into early 30’s that I developed the gift of writing; I began writing mainly songs and poetry. Here is a poem that I wrote in the Spring of 2018:

The Nightmare

By Patricia Johns

Help Van Gogh Help He’s staring at me And he thinks I’m dead I’m dead to him Because he gave me no life A summer day passed Was it my father that went with it?

The irony of it all The first day after the spring equinox His birthday too

Help Van Gogh Help Illuminate this darkness that has befallen upon me On this the first day after the Spring Equinox A starry, starry night perhaps On this, the darkest hour before dawn

Darkness is never good The meaning of it, is never understood I’m alright now thinking about colours and brush strokes This poem has very profound meaning. It all started in a bad dream I had. In essence I had a bad relationship with my father, he died in 2009, and I had a bad dream about him. So, at that time, I was reading up on the life of Van Gogh. When I woke up, it was around 3am, and it’s as if there was this ethereal, dark feeling from the nightmare. Reading on the life of Van Gogh as I had previously been doing, I had a real appreciation for the life of Van Gogh and his work was truly inspirational. I know his most popular work is Starry, Starry Night and The Sunflower. However, one of the pieces that really struck a chord with me though was The Poor and Money. Van Gogh believed in art of the people for the people and the piece The Poor and Money was representative of that. In this piece, a group of people was standing outside a building, the feeling of doom and gloom is created. But the mere fact that he was able to capture that, showed that he cared. So, in the poem when I say “Help Van Gogh Help” it’s because I need his artistic prowess to switch my energy from negative to positive. It has been an incredible journey, and one I can say has metamorphosed my thinking as a human being and especially my work as an artist.  The butterfly also metamorphoses completely, in fact, we are so much alike, I will be highlighting the similarities between my stages of artistic growth to the butterfly’s stages of physical growth. The butterfly has four stages it goes through before its ready to flutter beautifully into the lovely adult butterfly, they are the egg, caterpillar, cocoon, and my favourite, the adult butterfly. As the adult butterfly, lays its fragile egg on the leaf of a tree or plant, so too I was placed in this world by the almighty. When this egg hatches into a caterpillar it must eat as much leaves as its body will allow. Nothing held me back when I was at the caterpillar stage, I was taking in as much knowledge as I could about the world around me. At this time I was in high school, doing art as a compulsory subject from grades 7 to 9. Then for CXC and A level exams, I had the option of choosing art and I did. The food that the caterpillar ate, was for me, the knowledge that my art tutor imparted to me.  The caterpillar stores the food for the following two stages, for energy and growth, so too I was storing the lessons learnt, for the love of it and a possible career down the line.

 After all that eating, the caterpillar, hibernates and the cocoon or pupa is formed. This stage involves growth and changing of the caterpillar into a butterfly. For me, at the cocoon stage of my career, I was building up my portfolio, experimenting with different media, honing my skills and practicing my craft. By this time I was at Edna Manley College pursuing a degree in fine arts. Here are some works of that time.

This was a huge piece (large cartridge paper size) that was done at Edna Manley. I thi  nk I was able to capture the intensity. There is a certain realness to the drawing though it’s not realism. The final stage is the emerging of the adult butterfly from the cocoon. The butterfly will now fly freely from plant to plant looking for a mate and somewhere to lay its eggs, starting the whole cycle over again, as it has beautifully realized its purpose. For me this last stage is more of a mental awareness of knowing what I definitely want to do after going back and forth with different options, including the sciences. So realizing that my purpose was art was a beautiful thing for me, as it continues to this day, to be a realization for me. With all the knowledge I’ve acquired and practice I’ve done I will say that I’m much more confident in my talent and craft today, than I was when I just started. When I sit down to draw an individual, whether live or from a photograph, I see it as an adventure but one that calms the mind. Earlier on I mentioned that I had a business called Perfect Portraits. The business is not yet registered so it is unofficially sixteen years old, for Perfect Portraits there has been its ups and downs. The dream for Perfect Portraits was to have a business that could meet the need of the art lover and anyone who had someone special in their life, including themselves, who they wanted to have a memorabilia of. So it would really make the perfect gift. As endearing as it is to have a photographed portrait, it is even more so authentic to have a portrait in the form of a painting or drawing. My aim is for Perfect Portraits to inspire people. Here are some of my commissioned pieces and work I have done lately.  

These days my work now has a much cleaner finish and boy am I ready to fly like that butterfly. For me to fly and emerge from the cocoon stage will mean me taking the responsibility to market my craft and taking risks. Like that adult butterfly, I have realized my purpose and I am definitely looking forward to the days to come.

By Dr. Kim Marie Spence

“A single twig breaks, but a bundle of twigs is strong” (Tecumseh, Shawnee Warrior, North America)

In the short space of five years, Kingston Creative has hosted over 54 networking meetups, 23 ArtWalks and installed 74 murals in Downtown Kingston. Hundreds of creatives have been trained through its technology focused, entrepreneur development and creative economy growth programme called CreaTech, and thousands of creatives have benefitted from grants to support their livelihoods.   The success narrative often focuses on singular genius, but Kingston Creative’s success is due to a strong team of visionary leaders and a diversity of partnerships in public, private and third sector, including over 100 volunteers and 20 community organisations. Kingston Creative’s success as a catalyst, its popularity and the interest from volunteers on the ground is indicative of a need for change in the national development conversation, to include cultural aspects and ground-up approaches.

As a cultural initiative dedicated to empowering creatives and the development of Water Lane and a Downtown Kingston Art District, Kingston Creative recognises the importance of partnerships.  It has developed strong alliances between the government, business, and the residents, some of the diverse stakeholders in the oldest part of the city of Kingston. Partnership and true cooperation, rather than just consultation, is key to the Art District’s creation. In a space where ‘bad mind’ is often spoken of, Kingston Creative demonstrates the potential of ‘good mind’ to bring about transformative change.

 

Why Downtown Kingston?

As one of the oldest parts of Kingston, Downtown reflects Jamaican history and culture.  Some of the oldest Jamaican companies are in Downtown. Additionally, this part of the city houses Kingston’s main market. The residential communities represent the labour force of Downtown and beyond. Given these intersections, it is not surprising that Downtown is also a cultural incubator for formal organizations such as the Institute of Jamaica (1879) and informal culture, such as Rae Town Street Dance. It is also one of the most feared parts of the city. Being in Downtown at night was, especially before 2018, beyond specific dances, a no-go for those from outside Downtown. However, that is changing, as per the establishment of the ROK hotel (2022).  Kingston Creative has been a major catalyst of this transformation.

 

Jamaicans Reimagining Jamaica

In 2017, Andrea Dempster-Chung and co-founders Allan Daisley and Jennifer Bailey floated the idea of Downtown Kingston Art District (DKAD) at a presentation at UWI Conference, Imagine Kingston as a Regenerative City.  The core query was, having travelled to other vibrant culture-driven downtowns internationally, they wondered – why not Kingston, the birthplace of Reggae and Dancehall and a UNESCO Creative City of Music.  Their answer was the creation of a Downtown Kingston Art District.

The use of cultural/creative industries as part of an urban development strategy is not new (since 1961) and is generally referred to as creative placemaking. The authors of arguably the first creative placemaking paper, Ann Markusen & Anne Gadwa Nicodemus (in 2010) defined creative placemaking as a “process where partners… shape the physical and social character of a neighbourhood, town, city, or region around arts and cultural activities, to bring diverse people together to celebrate, inspire, and be inspired.” Additionally, creative placemaking “animates public and private spaces, rejuvenates structures and streetscapes, (and) improves local business viability and public safety… but arts and culture are at its core”. The very concept of creative placemaking therefore emphasises partnership with a diversity of stakeholders in the service of arts and culture, a concept that is at the core of  Kingston Creative’s modus operandi.

 

THE STAKEHOLDERS

Volunteers

By 2018, that conference idea had become Kingston Creative. An ArtWalk of Downtown was developed – with the support of volunteers as guides.  The ArtWalk is a walking tour throughout Downtown highlighting points of old and recent cultural interest in the area. The concept was simple. Get people to come Downtown for art and culture on a Sunday…for free.

The first ArtWalk on April 28, 2018 created headlines and epitomised the cooperative and collaborative spirit that undergirds Kingston Creative. People of all ages, classes and nationalities wanted to be part of the change – the new Downtown – and volunteered. Volunteers became the engine of Kingston Creative and still are. The continuity of the ArtWalk depended on volunteers.

The timing of the ArtWalk was due to the National Gallery of Jamaica’s (NGJ), one of the first ArtWalk partners, “Last Sundays’” programme, and the guests were taken to the NGJ as a part of the tour. Other ArtWalk partners included members of Downtown business and residential communities, such as F&B Downtown, the CB Facey Foundation and Rise Life Foundation. Karib F.U.N.K., headed by artist Lee Rose also organised the volunteers and artist performances for the early festivals. Many of these initial partners remain on board and the Artwalk Happened each month until the advent of Covid-19 and returns in September 2022.

Volunteers are also involved in Kingston Creative governance through the various pods, which are committees focused on Community, Marketing, Art District and Events. The pods are largely run by volunteer force, determining much of the direction and philosophy of Kingston Creative.  The Community Pod is responsible for building the relationship with the residential communities of Downtown Kingston. Members of the Community Pod attend the various Downtown Community Development Committee (CDC) meetings; and liaise with various community leaders and creatives.

 

Downtown Residential Communities

One instance of that partnership is the development of the Community-specific ArtWalks which were funded by the EU and Jamaica Social Investment Fund. These Community ArtWalks – of Trench Town, Tivoli, Beat Street and Rae Town – have allowed for exposure for local creatives and earning for community members; and are based on cooperation and partnership with community organisations. These ArtWalks are also acknowledgement of these communities’ cultural bonafides and their viability as tourism destinations.

The input of Downtown residents into Kingston Creative is not limited to Community ArtWalks, Training workshops and the Community Pod.  Downtown residents serve in pods and are on the Kingston Creative Board. It is not a consultative approach but a partnership and mainstreaming approach that aims to keep Kingston Creative loyal to the creative placemaking goals of diversity, and arts and culture-orientation. One such is the inclusion of community locations on the Downtown tours to support residents’ economic livelihood. Another is providing discounts for all Downtown residents for use of the Creative Hub facilities on Harbour Street.

Gentrification is an issue. Gentrification is defined as the process whereby the character of a poor urban area is changed by wealthier people moving in, improving housing, and attracting new businesses, often displacing current inhabitants in the process. The increase in property values as a result of the association with artists and creativity is well-known, but often has negative implications for the original creative innovators. An example is Miami’s Little Haiti, which is a culturally vibrant area, known for its murals, but where real estate development for residents from higher socio-economic brackets has priced out the original residents. Here is where Kingston Creative’s partnership approach with both residents and the business community offers an alternative model.

 

Downtown Business Community

Downtown Kingston also represents one of the longstanding centres of commerce in Jamaica, therefore, partnership with Downtown’s business community is a priority. Ueli Bangerter of Swiss Stores, founded in 1935, was one of the first partners of Kingston Creative. Its location on Harbour Street and Water Lane has become Kingston Creative’s de facto headquarters, providing the location for ArtWalks, and now is the site of the Kingston Creative Coworking Hub which includes studio and office space.

The engagement with the Downtown business community has grown. This year, the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce signed an MOU with Kingston Creative for Downtown redevelopment, resulting in business owners and creatives sitting at the table in partnership. This is only the latest cooperative effort and future projects around developing a Block of Excellence pilot project are underway.

 

Paint the City

Downtown Murals are another signature element of Kingston Creative’s work and expanded on the work of Paint Jamaica in Fleet Street with community enterprise Life Yard. These murals have received local and international attention, have served as the background for music videos and films; and are a staple of formal and informal tours.  Importantly, it has sparked other mural projects, catalysing similar projects across the island, and providing much needed employment for visual artists.  For a DKAD project to be a reality, there needs to be a multiplicity of organisations creating and contributing to the arts and culture.  In Kingston Creatives philosophy, there is room for all.

KC’s Paint the City project falls under the Art District pod, led by Doris Gross, Board Director and one of Kingston Creative’s earliest volunteers.  Kingston Creative seeks the funding, an open call is issued, and designs are submitted by artists, evaluated by the a jury and artists are selected and commissioned to do the work. These teams consist of Jamaican artists, including Downtown residents. Therefore, it is Jamaicans changing the face of Jamaica, an important philosophical point not to be overlooked. The Paint the City project is also representative of Kingston’s Creative collaborative model with private sector paint sponsors like Sherwin Williams and government funding through The Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF), a division of the Ministry of Tourism. The project also includes murals commissioned directly by the Private sector, including the Jamaica Gleaner and Gracekennedy.  These murals change the brand of Downtown Kingston and contribute to economic, social, and cultural sustainability of the district.

 

Government Partnerships

In the last few weeks there has been much talk in Jamaica about migration. It is important to recognise that the reasons for migration are not just financial. The importance of the cultural and artistic landscape to people’s life is more than livelihood issues. Jamaicans want to live in a place where creativity flourishes and where they can walk the streets safely with their families, enjoying the culture. A recent Gleaner article discussed the lovers coming to Water Lane murals.

Government is a very important stakeholder and key to widening development conversations to include the cultural and creative industries. Kingston Creative has received significant government support, through the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, who was the first contributor to Kingston Creative. The First 50 initiative was a Kingston Creative call for pledges from 50 entities with a minimum of JMD 1 million per contribution, to build a broad coalition of 50 organizations that were willing to invest in the culture and transformation of Downtown Kingston.  Additionally, Kingston Creative currently receives funding from the Tourism Enhancement Fund to improve its cultural tourism offerings, such as Kingston Creative Tours and the new Kulcha App. However, established arts funding government bodies are rare in the Caribbean. In the absence of sustained and dedicated cultural funds, public-private-third sector partnerships, such as those characterised by Kingston Creative, offer a means for sustainability in cultural funding.

Kingston Creative also has partnerships with international organisations. For example, Kingston Creative currently partners with the Inter-American Development Bank’s IDB Lab in the CreaTech project. The CreaTech programme aims ‘to increase market access for Jamaican creative entrepreneurs by providing global market access, new digital platforms, technologies, training and capacity-building to add economic and social value to cultural assets through the development of new business models.’ This programme is being implemented through The Creative Hub. Previous international partners include the European Union and World Bank.

 

Jamaican and Caribbean Creatives

At the heart of any art or cultural district are the artists.  The Creative Hub represents the third signature Kingston Creative project and one centring artists. It is a joint venture between The Hub Coworking, led by Joelle Smith and Kingston Creative; and occupies the top floor of F&B Downtown at Swiss Stores. It is a space to support the often-virtual nature of small creative businesses – with a podcast studio, shared workspaces, offices and meeting rooms. All are available for rental and booking with discounts for Downtown residents. The Creative Hub has hosted numerous creative entrepreneurs and even an NPR Tiny Desk Concert, by artist Sevana, in addition to hosting numerous CreaTech programmes like the Incubator, Accelerator, Hackathon and Best Pitch Forward, funded by the Development Bank of Jamaica, JAMPRO, IDB Lab and corporates.

As part of the pandemic response, Jamaican creatives moved online. The move to the online digital world was necessary but difficult for many creatives. In response, Kingston Creative started its Digital Commissions program. Over 250 Artists (25% from Downtown) were paid to create digital work as part of the Kingston Creative’s online ArtWalk program. Digital Commissions ran from March to May 2020 at a cost of JMD $2.7 million.

Digital Commissions expanded into a Caribbean-wide program called CATAPULT I, with the support of Barbadian arts organisation Fresh Milk, diasporic 501(c)3 NGO The American Friends of Jamaica (AFJ), and the Open Society Foundations. CATAPULT was designed to address the digital divide faced by Caribbean artists, cultural practitioners, and creative entrepreneurs during the pandemic.  It is arguably the first arts program involving English-, Spanish-, Dutch-, and French-speaking Caribbean territories. However, to go Caribbean-wide, funding was required. CATAPULT I became possible with USD $320,000 from the Open Society Foundations and the AFJ. It has made a cross-Caribbean multi-lingual creative community a reality. It was considered such a success that both the American Friends of Jamaica and the Open Society Foundation are back on board for a second round in 2022 and to date, USD $470,000 has been granted to 1535 creatives in 27 Caribbean countries.

 

The Future – it takes cash to care

All the ingredients for the vision of Kingston as a Creative City and Downtown as a vibrant Art District existed before Kingston Creative.  Kingston has talented creatives, a location with past, present and future cultural resonance, committed residents, a longstanding business community, and an invested local and national government. However, there was need for a broker – a catalyst.   Kingston Creative has been able to have wildly different parties sitting at the table, together. The Kingston Creative Board has representatives from creative communities, Downtown– residents and business, the Jamaican Diaspora, social and business entrepreneurs and academia. However, sustainability remains an issue.

As a Jamaican politician once noted, “it takes cash to care”.  As with the Paint the City, CATAPULT and CreaTech stories, funding partners are required for core mission support and to pay staff, but also for the programmes themselves.  Established cultural funding government bodies and private sector cultural philanthropy (or impact investment) are scarce. The result is an underfunded and under-invested, micro-cultural sector. Growth requires scaling up and for Kingston Creative, this means handling a multiplicity of funding sources. On the plus side, this patchwork of multiple funding sources means Kingston Creative cannot be unduly influenced by any one funder. Negatively, much administrative time is taken up with the funding search and reporting to multiple entities. Therefore, despite all its partnerships and governance philosophy, without a significant change in cultural support philanthropy and mindset in Jamaica, the next four years of Kingston Creative and in fact Creative (City of ) Kingston are not guaranteed. Please support Kingston Creative by donating https://kingstoncreative.org/donate/

Author: Dr. Kim-Marie Spence is the Programme Convenor for the Arts Management and Cultural Policy at Queen’s University Belfast and specialises in cultural industries, policy and creative cities. She is also a Director of Kingston Creative, an Arts NGO and a former Film Commissioner/Head of Creative Industries in Jamaica.

October’s staging of Kingston Creative’s Artwalk and Market Street celebrated Jamaican Culture and Heritage through dance, fashion, music, food, and art. This month’s staging kicked off with a panel discussion at F&B Downtown on Oct 25 with respected professionals in the area of culture and heritage under the topic: “Wi Likkle But Wi Tallawah:How to preserve Culture in the millennial age”.  The panel included;  Travis Graham (Executive Director of the Goldeneye Oracabessa Foundation and Kingston Tour company), Amina Blackwood Meeks (Writer, Poet, Lecturer, Storyteller, Actress), Ashly Cork, JAmaica Creates and Arts Project manager at British Council, Nicole Patrick-Shaw (Deputy Director of the Institute of Jamaica) and Fabian Thomas (Lecturer, Life Coach, Artistic Director of Sankofa),. This discussion was quite a “bellyful” as various opinions highlighted the need for Millenials and the younger generation to be exposed to culture in ways that they understand especially through technology. 

The panel included;  Travis Graham (Executive Director of the Goldeneye Oracabessa Foundation and Kingston Tour company), Amina Blackwood Meeks (Writer, Poet, Lecturer, Storyteller, Actress), Ashly Cork, JAmaica Creates and Arts Project manager at British Council, Nicole Patrick-Shaw (Deputy Director of the Institute of Jamaica) and Fabian Thomas (Lecturer, Life Coach, Artistic Director of Sankofa),. This discussion was quite a “bellyful” as various opinions highlighted the need for Millenials and the younger generation to be exposed to culture in ways that they understand especially through technology.                                      The Artwalk came alive on Oct 27 with a jam-packed day full of activities throughout Downtown Kingston! The day kicked off with a historical tour of the Sha’are Shalome Synagogue on Duke Street and then moved to the Market Street located at the Institute of Jamaica (IOJ) – a change from its usual Water Lane location. Patrons were treated to the conscious sounds of Ethiopia Africa Black International Congress which proceeded to a “Libation” (blowing of the abeng) to  open Market Street and Artwalk. Among the many performances from the likes of Bongo Herman, Sajarto, MINORI and Heart of Arts and numerous dance displays of traditional and modern Jamaican dances were the bus tours. The guests went by bus to the Gleaner for an insiders’ tour of the facility and the unveiling of a new Augmented Reality Mural on the Gleaner building to commemorate their 185th anniversary.  They then visited the community of Rose Town which attracted huge numbers of visitors interested in the history of the pottery artisans that reside in this community and who are supported by the Rose Town Foundation.

 

                                          We thank all of our first 50 sponsors, Vendors, Panelists, Performers, Volunteers and most importantly, YOU for supporting KINGSTON CREATIVE and in our mission to promote culture and the regeneration of Downtown Kingston. SEE YOU SOON for Film & Digital as we showcase Film, Games, Virtual Reality, Digital Art, Animation and the subcultures that surround the industry like cosplay, skateboarding, and more. #KingstonCreative #Artwalk #DKAD #DowntownKingston #PaintTheCity

Zooming in on a Day in the Life of a Jamaican Creative Educator

TRANSFORMATIONAL DESTINY STATEMENTS

1.  I help  billions of young entrepreneurs enjoy good success through the utilization of their God-given talents and genius to create a sustainable world

Need help retaining   top quality educators?  Let me help you reboot, celebrate and rejuvenate your teacher team. VISION A new generation of   young entrepreneurs infused with an anointing of creativity The Genesis of the Creative Educator’s Journey In the beginning, God created Educators, males and females created He them.  He wired them to be global influencers, kingdom ambassadors and nation builders.  On the anvil, with tender hands, He moulded them to be our children’s daily cheerleaders and destiny carriers.  Educators can be likened to caterpillars who gently nurture the children entrusted in their care, transforming them into colourful butterflies.  These servant leaders are destined to ENGAGE and EMPOWER others, they do it all!  How do I know?  Having spent over 24 years in Jamaica’s most intense dream factory, I know too well the ebbs and flow of being a Creative Educator. Creativity Meets Entrepreneurship

Precious Beginnings is an all-inclusive management firm located in our tropical paradise, Jamaica.  This enterprise is owned and led by business savvy Creative Director, Michelle Carpenter.  As a Business Educator, this creative genius is   assigned by God, her Master Teacher to commission youth entrepreneurs to unleash their gifts to create a sustainable world by providing innovative business solutions. As an Educators Celebration Coach, she is   extremely passionate about helping time-strapped school leaders celebrate demotivated and overwhelmed educators in order to maximize teacher retention and create top-performing schools.

Michelle is the proud recipient of Jamaica’s National Housing Trust Entrepreneurial Grant Award, 2015 (Budding Category).  She holds a Masters Degree in Educational Administration from Northern Caribbean University, a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Education from the University of Technology. the Professional Qualification for Principalship Certification from the  National College for Educational Leadership (NCEL),  and recently completed the M3 Mastermind Coaching Programme offered by Fullerton Management Group. Coupled with over twenty four years as a Business Educator, she is a trained florist and interior decorator with a keen eye for details, one inspired by elegance and originality.  Regardless of the client’s tastes and preference, Michelle has the natural ability to create exquisite, customized floral designs,   gift baskets and décor accents with a unique flair to meet every need.

(Tourism Linkage Network Christmas In July Tradeshow, 2019)

As creative director, events planner and florist at Precious Beginnings, Michelle is responsible for organizing and coordinating virtual and off-line events, managing logistics for all events as well as events flow, including scheduling of special events.  In her capacity as florist, she purposefully identifies, selects and designs awe-inspiring floral arrangements and gift baskets which complement the nature of every event to delight customers.                            

Destiny Vision of   a Creative Business Educator

Jamaica’s 2030 National Vision:  ‘Jamaica, the place of choice to live, work, raise families and do business.’

William Shakespeare reminds us that the entire world is a stage and all men and women are mere players.  What a timely reminder   creatives, especially those   who work in the Education Industry. Michelle is convinced that she plays a distinct and creative role in helping Jamaica achieve its national mandate.  According to Jamaica’s National Development Plan, two   of our key strategic goals are:  ’the Jamaican society is secure, cohesive and just, to empower everyone to achieve their full potential.’   The view among many is that education is the cornerstone of national development, as it is through this lifelong process that we are able to develop reflective, rational and productive citizens.  However, when we do an   environmental scan of our paradise home, Jamaica, it often   sparks images of gloom and doom.  ‘Young and Dangerous Teenage Gangsters Driving Up the Crime Rate.’  This is just one of the many frightening bulletins exhibited in the Jamaican media today. During her journey within the classroom, Michelle   has observed that one of Jamaica’s major social problems is the high rate of unemployment, especially among our youths.    She   is convinced that this has contributed significantly   to the high levels of criminal activities and poverty being experienced by some young persons .    Despite the challenges,   this creative imagineer   and problem solver is   not one to lament.  As a vision 2030 country, she   believes that ‘world class education”   and training are vital keys   to national transformation.   Michelle is   also well aware that today’s youths are tomorrow’s adults.  To this end, in her mind the purpose of education within the Jamaican context is to equip our nation’s children to maximize their full potential, as well as to promote prosperity.   This is why she is gainfully engaged in empowering thousands of   youth entrepreneurs in Jamaica to use their full God given   genius to make Jamaica a place to live, raise families and do business. From as long as she   can remember, Michelle   has always wanted to teach.  As a lifelong learner she believes that when you have learnt something, you should share from your wellspring of wisdom.  Driven by her   passion to transform the lives of billions of children, she embarked on a three years teacher training at Church Teachers College, Mandeville, Jamaica in 1995, where she specialized in Business Education and Science.  Fast forward to twenty four years later, she has blossomed from a timid teacher into a creative Business Educator, Florist, events planner and   Educators Celebration Coach.  What does a day in the life of a creative Business educator look like?  What does it sound like? As a teacher and a creative, each day,   this teacher and entrepreneur  works assiduously at mastering the ‘juggling game’ of taking off one hat and   putting on another.  Her creativity packed day begins   promptly at 4:15 a.m.  This is the time where most of her students, and many of the world’s   business establishments are still   asleep.    In order to ensure that her spiritual well is kept balanced, she spends the first portion of   quiet time with her Master Teacher, Abba God.  By 5:15 a.m.  she is galloping  through  her  door with  teaching tools, lunch and clients  deliveries to begin the one hour commute to the citadel on the hill , Clarendon College. Upon arrival, she   spends another hour   grading papers, completing lesson plans, preparing for grade   meetings   and workshops with the teachers and students that she supervises in the upper school. Her day is always   driven by the needs of   her young entrepreneurs,   and so each day she has to ensure that the learning environment offers that vision 2030 experience for all   students, while maintaining sanity within the noisy and stressful corridors of the classroom.     Each day provides a new opportunity to build a healthy and productive learning environment for young entrepreneurs.   What does her Principles of Business   class look like?    Each   class begins with a Break-Out Session dubbed ‘Circle Time”. The first five minutes is used for prayer, group norming and teambuilding. This helps to create an atmosphere charged with enthusiasm, creative expressions and movements.   Students then transition to their cooperative groups. In order to maintain order,   each   entrepreneur is then reminded of their   post of responsibility – materials manager, recorder, reporter, social skills manager, time- keeper and quiz master.  As the creative director of   her class, she has to find new uncommon ways to add new levels of innovations that   engage the students daily.  She believes that when the classroom environment is student-centred, it not only eliminates boredom but increases content retention.    To this end, Michelle uses a lot of cooperative learning strategies to promote teambuilding and help students become accountable for their learning.  These structures involve Group Jigsaw, Peer Square and Share, Infographics, KWL Charts, Three Minutes Pause, Cross Peer Tutoring and   interactive group discussion. This creative believes   that teaching extends far beyond the transmission of knowledge; hence   as the day unfolds she   continues to work on   her   canvass –  creating an environment where youth entrepreneurs learn not only how to live, but how to think for themselves.  Like Dr.  Myles   Munroe she believes that   our youths ‘have many selves within them that lie dormant, untapped and unused.’  With this in mind, her core focus each day becomes helping Jamaica to achieve her vision by unlocking students potential and developing lifelong learners for the future.  In order to expose students to real business experiences, she brings the world of business into the classroom. WHAT DOES HER CLASSROOM SOUND LIKE? Advancements in technology, coupled with the information revolution has completely changed   the rhythm of   her grades ten and eleven business classes.  Information communication technology, smart phones, tablets, wattsapp, budgeting applications are abuzz in this teacher’s classroom.  With the high levels of unemployment experienced by some youth, exposing her students to the operational side of business is seen as their only ray of hope.  Michelle understands that teaching emerging entrepreneurs about the principles of business is just the rehearsal stage on    their journey to becoming successful.   This means her   classroom is ringing daily with practical principles and experiences where students are called to action to create income generating projects.  Having the students apply the principles is what helps them to   effectively master the knowledge that they have garnered. In order to make students experience richer learning environment , the greater portion of Michelle’s day is spent engaging students in experiential learning.  This is done through live tradeshows  where  students are challenged  to apply immediately   what they have learnt by   setting up and operating   mini businesses through   Entrepreneurship Lunch Hour where students produce Jamaican products using our local resources such as bamboo, wood, shells, beads and agricultural inputs for sale to their school  and home communities. Young entrepreneur Amoy Drummond  ( above, right) showcasing her bamboo product during students Lunch and learn /dress for success session. The young entrepreneurs are encouraged to set up different business structures such as sole traders, partnerships and private limited companies.  Again, students work in groups and assume various business roles such as managers, accountants, human resource management, and production.   Other practical activities take the  form of Business  Mix and Mingle  where she invites business personnel from outside the school community to come in and train the students in areas such as Business Ethics, Customer Service, Social Media Marketing,  Financial Literacy and how to dress for success      Mastermind Coach and Chief Inspirational Officer, Geoffrey Fullerton (above) of Fullerton Management Group sharing success principles with young entrepreneurs during Lunch and Learn/Dress for Success Session. Financial Literacy is a daily buzz word in Michelle’s   world.  All students participate in   a Coin Multiplier Drive at the beginning of each month where they are encouraged to save twenty dollars (JA$) each day to be used as seed capital for their mini business ventures.  This approach allows students to understand the value of   a dollar and helps them to develop an appreciation for savings and investing        

Successful entrepreneur, Internet Marketer, trainer and author, Layten Pryce teaching young entrepreneurs to create their own online businesses during a  Money Making Master classes 

After a gruelling training   session, she breathes a sigh of relief at the sound of the bell, it’s lunch time!  As a creative, Michelle   is well aware that her health is her wealth, and so a good portion of this time is spent savouring home-made meals and interacting with her colleagues. Michelle is a firm believer of the biblical principle: “train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it.’  This rings true even amidst the Corona pandemic.  Despite   having to move online and being physically separated from her young entrepreneurs, her students continue to ‘persevere and excel’.   Recently, one of her young entrepreneurs, Shevaun Walters (ten grader) partnered with his grandmother to create protective masks for sale to community members.  This young entrepreneur understands clearly that focusing on money will not generate earnings.  Solving problems for people is what earns money.                                 Michelle sees her young entrepreneurs as an   heritage from God.  As this creative educator and her next generation of innovators embrace the new era, amidst its highs and lows, she is excited about the  new  trail ahead.  She hears her Heavenly father beckoning:  ‘who will go and prepare my children for eternal impact?  Is the creative platform for you? Yes, Lord, here I am, send Michelle! TESTIMONIALS  Young Entrepreneurs and Customers Speak “Ms. Carpenter, you have changed my life forever!  I did not have a clue as what I wanted to do upon leaving high school.  However, after being in your class, my mind has opened up to so many business ideas.  As a future entrepreneur, I am grateful for the many practical lessons that you have taught me.  Continue to inspire young entrepreneurs!  “ Sherneil Edwards, youth entrepreneur “Ms. Carpenter, you have changed my life as I did not know what I wanted to do after leaving school.  However, since being in your class for two years, you have opened up my mind to so many possibilities.  You have helped me to understand that I need to create opportunities for myself and   others through owning my business.  Thank you   for all that you have done for me, continue to inspire young entrepreneurs. David Thomas, student entrepreneur Customers Creative Commentary Corner Precious Beginnings, warming hearts with authenticity… How can I not ntroduce Precious Beginnings to other potential customers so that they too can benefit from the production of the exceptionally rare, eye-popping and authentic gift items that suit so many celebratory occasions: Best graduation and educational inventions for all categories, professional events, weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, births, special pixie treats, house warming; you name it, Precious Beginnings have it.  The adroitness that is placed into the invention of these delightful products make this joyful delivery business a trailblazing one where Things Jamaican a registry of treasured Jamaican memories made space on its shelves to showcase items from Precious Beginnings authentic creations indeed. Thanks to Michelle Carpenter, Educator, Entrepreneur and CEO of Precious Beginnings who Has sponsored adorable gift items for my guest speakers and presenters at the UWI Mona, Mona Information Technology Services (MITS) – User Support Services signature service excellence, annual professional training seminar. Sponsorship was gracefully received for two consecutive years, 2017 and 2018. Janice Brown-Roberts Manager, IT & Customer Support Services, University of the West Indies, Jamaica John C. Maxwell Certified Professional & Life Coach, Trainer & Speaker I am always pleasantly surprised whenever I receive baskets ordered from Precious Beginnings.  I am always satisfied with the arrangement, the courteous service and the catering to my individual needs with a smile.  Michelle is efficient, creative and thoughtful. Hats off to her! Precious Beginnings products are indeed ‘precious’.  They evoke strong desires to attain, claim and be associated with such reflection of beauty and creativity.  The products are personalized and the time spent to perfect   each product makes the clients feel valued.  Every owner of a Precious Beginnings product is the envy of those who have not yet received   the precious touch.  Thank you Precious Beginnings! “I am so thankful to   Michelle of Precious Beginnings for her expertise and professional attention to detail that allowed me to enjoy my wedding day.  The centrepieces were unique and beautifully designed.  Michelle is so understanding and caring that even at the last minute when I called on her at the last moment to create my bridal bouquet, she ensured everything went smoothly.  Thanks a million, continue to deliver high quality professional service.” Mrs. Symone Lewin, newlywed  Mrs. Symone Lewin ensuring that her home is florally fit amidst COVID-19 Michelle Carpenter May, 2020